Snap switch and contacts therefor



Aug. 8, 1950 v J. J. COOPER 2,517,845

' SNA? swITcH AND coN'rAcTs. THEREFOR Filed April 25, 1948 lFIGS.

33 .al a so 39 ff? FIG .'4.

Patented Aug. 8, ,1950

- 2,517,845 SNAP swr'rcn ,Arm ooN'rAlcT-s THEREFOR .I ames J. lCooper, St. Louis, Mo., assigner to H. Raymond Koch, St. Louis, Mo.

Appnatien geen 23, 194s,- seral No... 22,918

This invention relates to snap switches, and

more particularly to toggle snap switches lsuch Aas are used on switch panels, walls and the like,

Among the several objects ofthe inventionmay be noted the provision of Ya snap switch of the Claims. (101.-200-1-1'66) insulating plastic material. The side walls 5 are molded interiorly with ribs Il at their approxitoggle type embodying an improvedfsimplied A mode of mounting the parts therein including the contacts; the provision of switch structure of the class described providing for readyassembly .of the contacts with the body of the switch;

mate centers. These ribs extend from the botn torn' Wall', with which they are integral, to the upper edge of the side walls.l At theiriupper ends, the ribs are stepped as indicated at I3.

' The ribs are formed with generally V-shaped the provision of improved simplified one-piece H In the accompanying drawing, in. which .Lone of various possible embodiments of theinvention is illustrated,

i which Will be indicated in the following claims.

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a snapv switch embodyy.

ing the invention; I

Fig. 2 is an enlarged central longitudinal "section through the snap switch of Fig. 1, Darts be.-

ng broken away; l g

Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse section;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of Fig, 2 with certain parts "1 removed to show the interiorvof a receptacle .of the switch; f v v Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the switch on'a kreduced scale; Fig. 6 is a detail of a blankv from which a contact member for the switch ismadej Fig. 'l is a side elevation rof the completed contact member; c

Fig. 8 is an end elevation of Fig? as viewed I ,y

from the right; y n i Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the contact member; and, y v

Fig. V10 is a perspective View of an insulating member. v

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings. h ,y

Referring to the drawing, thesnap switch of this invention is shown to `comprise a support consisting of a receptacle or casing I formed oi? insulating material and having a bottom wall 3, parallel side walls 5 and end wallsfi, forming a generally rectangular recess 9. The receptacle is preferably molded in one piece of Iasfuitable bearing notches v I5 extending downward from their'stepsr I3 and with arcuate bearing'notches `I'j'I in their reduced upper ends. `The twok ribs on the opposed side walls and the bearing notches therein are transversely aligned. Each side wall is also formed with an open-ended slot I9 leading downward from its upper edge to the bottomwall-il` and located immediately adjacent one 'of the end walls l. The two slots in the opposed side walls are transversely aligned. The side walls are formed with opposed keys 2l on theopposite sides of the slots.

n ,Each end wall 'I is recessed in its outer surface asindicated at 23 to provide an outwardly extending iiange ,25 at its upper end. Receptacle `I is molded interiorly with narrow ribs 2l at the appreximate' centers at the end; walls. These ribs extend upward from the bottom wall' 3, with which they vare integral, and are formed with in.- clined Vsteps 29 at their upper Vends. Thebottom wall 3 has an arcuate upper surface 30 between the end ribs 21 curved on a radius from a center in'the bearing notches I5. To strengthen the bottom wall3 where its cross `section is reduced bythe :provision of the `arcuate surface and where the reinforcingv eiTect of side walls 5 is absent at the slots I9, the receptacle is molded with an arcuate rib 3l on the arcuate surface Si) extending frorn'one end rib ,2l to the other and integral atits ends with .the end ribs.

A generally U-shaped switch blade 33 is pivotally suspended in the bearing notches I5 for swinging movement into and out of bridging engagement with respect to a pair of contact members, generally ,designated 35, mounted in the slots I B cn'opposite sides of the recess 9 at one end'thereof. As illustrated, blade33 comprises a generally U-shaped conducting sheet metal member, of brass or the like, having outwardly extending trunnions 35 at the upper ends of its vertical larms for bearing engagement in notches I5. vThe transverse bar of the' U-shaped switch blade isformed with an upwardly extending prorjeiction'S'i Iand has a recess 39 to clear the arcuate rib 3l on the arcuate surface 3U of the receptacle.l The blade is adapted to swing between limiting positions determined `by engagement of its lower en dfwith the end ribs2'l.

' An operating lever 4I ofinsulating rmaterial provided with a projection 45 at its lower end.

A coil spring 41 is compressed between the lower end of the lever and the transverse bar of the U-shaped switch plate 33. Projections 31 and 45 enter the ends of the spring to retain it into position. The lever 4I, spring 41 and blade 33 are retained in position by a mounting strap 49 secured to the receptacle I by screws 5I extending through the end flanges 25 of the receptacle. This strap has a central opening 53 through which the lever extends out of the receptacle. O'n opposite sides of opening 53, the strap has arcuate raised portions 55 engaging over trunnions 43. Lever 4I has shoulders or wings 51 adapted for engagement with the steps 29, the latter serving as stops to limit rocking movement of the lever. Shoulders 51 are provided on their outer surfaces with the usual On and Off indicia.

The above-described arrangement is such that with lever 4I in its On position shown in Fig. 2, with the shoulder 51 of the lever toward the contact end of the receptacle in engagement with the step 29 of the end rib 21 at the lefthand end of the casing, the switch blade 33 is in its limiting position determined by its engagement with the left-hand end" rib 21 and engages the contact members 35 on opposite sides of the recess 9 in the receptacle to complete a circuit therebetween. When the lever is rocked clockwise from that position, as viewed in Fig. 2, spring 41 rocks counterclockwise about the lower end of the switch blade 33 until it overcenters, whereupon it snaps the switch blade away from the contact members. The switch blade rocks counterclockwise in its bearing notches I5 until it strikes the other end rib 21. The lever 4I rocks clockwise to its Off position wherein its righthand shoulder 51 engages the step 29 of the righthand end rib 21. When the lever is rocked counterclockwise as viewed in Fig. 2 from its Off position, spring 41 drives the switch blade back into circuit-closing position between the contact members 35.

The two contact members 35 are identical in construction. Each is formed from the flat sheet metal blank B, of brass or the like, illustrated in Fig, 6. This blank is shaped to have a generally rectangular terminal portion 6I and a Contact clip portion 53 joined to the terminal portion by a narrow neck 65 extending centrally from the edge 61 of the terminal portion. The blank is slit as indicated at 59 and 1I. Slits 69 extend inward from the edge 61 at the sides of neck 55, thereby forming two ears 13 on opposite sides of the neck. slits 1I extend inward from the opposite edge 15 of the terminal portion, thereby forming two ears 11 at the two respective corners of the terminal portion, and an ear 19 intermediate the ear 11.

The blank is bent at the neck into generally V-shape, as illustrated in Figs. 7-9. The ears 13 are bent out of the plane of the terminal portion 6I in the direction opposite to the bend of the neck. This provides a keyway at the edge margin 61 of the blank. The ears 11 are bent in one direction out of the plane of the terminal portion and the ear 19 is bent in the opposite direction out of the plane of the terminal portion. This provides a keyway at the edge margin 15 of the blank parallel and opposite to the keyway in the margin 91. A central aperture 8l in the terminal portion 6I of each contact member is tapped to receive a terminal screw 83 for connecting wires to the contact members. The screws 83 extend substantially perpendicular to the side walls 5 of the receptacle I when the contact members 35 are assembled with the receptacle, and are threaded into the terminal portions from the outside of the receptacle.

The contact members 35 have their terminal portions 6I keyed in the respective slots I9 substantially coplanar with the respective side walls 5 by engagement of the keys 2I in the keyways in the margins ofthe terminal portions, and have their reflexed resilient contact clip portions 6I extending within the recess 9 toward the end wall 1 adjacent the slots I9 (Fig. 4). Ears 13 and 11 lie on the outside of the keys 2I, and the ears 19 and neck 65 lie on the inside of the keys. The contact members are assembled with the receptacle simply by sliding them downward in the slots I9, with the keys ZI entered between their respective ears, until the lower edges of the contact members engage the lower edges of the slots. This positions the Contact clip portions 63 of the contact members in opposed convergent relation so that they are adapted to be bridged and spread apart by the lower end of the switch blade 33 as it swings between them. The curved portions of the contact members at their necks 65 facilitate the entrance of the lower end of the switch blade 33 between the contact clip portions 63.

The contact members 35 are held in position Within the lower ends of the slots by means of insulating retainers 85 (Fig. l0). Each of these consists of a rectangular piece of fibre or the like having ears 81 at the corners thereof struck out from the plane of the retainer in one direction, and ears 89 intermediate the corner ears struck out in the opposite direction to form keyways at two opposite margins of the retainers. The retainers 85 are held in the slots over the contact members by engagement of keys 2I in their keyways. They are assembled with the receptacle I simply by sliding them downward in the slots I9 after contact members 35 have been mounted in position, with the keys 2| entered between the ears 81 and 89. Mounting strap 49 extends over the Slots I9 to hold the retainers 85 and contact members 35 in place in the slots.

The mounting strap 49 extends beyond the ends of the receptacle for mounting the latter` in a recess in a wall in the usual manner. The strap, as illustrated in Fig. 1, is formed with winged portions SI at its ends for cooperation with a first type of wall mounting. The strap is scored as indicated at 93 so that these winged portions may be readily broken olf if not required and the switch mounted by means of screws extending through elongate apertures 95 in the strap inward of the score lines 93. Apertures 95 are in portions 91 of the ends of the strap adapted to be broken off at score lines 99 if a shorter strap is required for mounting purposes. The strap is provided with apertures IGI within the score lines 99 for mounting purposes when the portions outward of score lines 99 are broken off.

From the above, it will be clear that assembly of the contact members 35 with the receptacle I in the process of manufacturing switches of this invention is quite simple. The process is simplied further due to the fact that the right and left hand contact members on opposite sides of the recess 9 are of identical construction despite the fact that they are mounted in opposed relation. Thus, the assembly of the switch does not involve any necessity for selecting a particular contact for a particular side of the receptacle. Also all parts such as shown in Figs. 9 and 10 may be selected from a common supply of each, since each may be used indiscriminately either on the right or left of the switch.

In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.-

As many changes could be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. In a switch, an insulating support having two side walls, each wall having a slot therein leading inward from an edge thereof with the two slots transversely aligned, each wall being provided with opposed keys extending into its slot from opposite sides of the slot, a pair 0I" contact members each mounted in a respective slot, each contact member comprising a one-piece sheet metal member having a generally rectangular terminal portion substantially coplanar with the respective side wall and joined to a contact clip portion by a narrow neck extending substantially centrally from a side margin oi the terminal portion, the contact member being bent at the neck so that its terminal and clip portions are in the general shape of a V, ears at said side margin of the terminal portion on opposite sides of the neck struck out from the plane of the terminal portion in the direction opposite to the bend of the neck to dene with said neck a key- Way, ears at the opposite side margin of the terminal portion struck out in opposite directions from the plane of the terminal portion to denne another keyway, the terminal portions of the two contact members being keyed in the respective slots by engagement of the keys in their keyways with the contact clip portions extending into the space between said walls in opposed convergent relation for resilient engagement with a switch blade movable between said clip portions to spread them apart.

2. A snap switch comprising an insulation receptacle having a bottom wall, end walls and parallel side walls, each side wall having a slot leading from its upper edge toward the bottom wall adjacent one end wall, a pair of contact members each mounted in a respective slot, each contact member comprising a terminal portion substantially coplanar with the respective side wall and slidably keyed to the respective side wall at the sides ofthe slot therein, and a resilient contact clip portion extending into the receptacle from the keyed margin of the terminal portion remote from said one end wall, the contact clip portions of the two contact members being opposed to one another and converging toward said one end wall, terminal screws threaded into said terminal portions substantially perpendicular to the side walls from the outside of the receptacle, a switch blade pivoted in the receptacle for swinging movement into and out of closed-circuit position wherein it engages and spreads said contact clip portions apart, and a toggle linkage including an operating lever extending out of the receptacle for operating said blade with snap action.

3. A snap switch comprising an insulation receptacle having a bottom wall, end walls and parallel side walls, each side wall having a slot therein leading from its upper edge toward the bottom wall adjacent one of the end walls and provided with keys on the opposite sides of the slot, a pair of contact members each mounted in a respective slot, each contact member comprising a terminal portion substantially coplanar with the respective side wall and having keyways at two opposite side margins thereof keyed in its slot by engagement of said keys in said keyways, and a resilient contact clip portion extending into the receptacle from one of the keyed side margins of the terminal portion, the contact clip portions being opposed to one another and convergent, terminal screws threaded into said terminal portions substantially perpendicular to the side walls from the outside of the receptacle, a switch blade pivoted in the receptacle for swinging movement into and out of closed-circuit position wherein it engages and spreads said contact clip portions apart, and a toggle linkage including an operating lever eX- tending out of the receptacle for operating said blade with snap action.

4. A snap switch as set forth in claim 3 wherein the contact members are mounted in the lower ends of the slots, and further including a pair of insulation retainers each mounted in a respective slot to hold the contact members therein, each retainer having keyways in two opposite margins thereof keyed in the upper end of its slot by engagement or" the keys in its keyways, and a mounting strap fixed to the top of the receptacle holdirligt said retainers and contact members in the s o s.

5. A contact member for use in snap switches and the like comprising a sheet metal blank having a generally rectangular terminal portion joined to a contact clip portion by a narrow neck extending substantially centrally from one margin of the terminal portion, said blank being bent JAMES J. COOPER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,013,142 Gaynor Sept. 3, 1935 2,152,496 Owens Mar. 28, 1939 2,186,638 Hall Jan. 9, 1940 2,214,065 Pennock et al Sept. 10, 1940 2,288,283

Hutt June 30, 1.942 

